Sewing machine and methods of attaching coat sleeves to coat bodies



Dec. 4, 1962 1. LIPSHUTZ 3,066,626

SEWING MACHINE AND METHODS OF ATTACHING COAT SLEEVES TO COAT BODIES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 27, 1959 INVENTOR. ISRAEL Ll PSHUTZ SLEEVE GOODS BACK BODY PANEL BY manual/W FRONT BODY PANEL ATTORNEYS Dec. 4, 1962 LIPSHUTZ 3,066,625

SEWING MACHINE AND METHODS OF ATTACHING COAT SLEEVES TO COAT BODIES Filed March 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SLEEVE GOODS INVENTOR.

ISRAEL LIPSHUTZ BY M W W ATTORNEKS SLEEVE GOODS 3,066,626 dfit v'ihlG h/IACHEWE AND METHODS OF ATTACH- IlNG MAT LEEVES T9 COAT BGDHES lsrael Lipsautz, 5234 Diamond St, Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Mar. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 8925M 3 Ciaims. (Ci. 112-435) This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines and methods of attaching cloth members to each other as in the manufacture of wearing apparel.

It is known to provide a sewing machine wherein stitching of fabric plies is effected by the combined action of a sewing needle, work-feeding means and a stationary resiliently biased presser foot.

In the process of assembling the various component parts of a garment, e.g., sleeves, pockets, etc., it is necessary to lap the desired components together and feed the same to the sewing machine. It is necessary that an accurate match at all points be maintained during the sewing operation in order to avoid rejects.

It has been found that the various types of presser feet now commonly in use necessitate great care on the part of the operator when sewing goods which are not of the same length or configuration and which accordingly must be worked in. The combined action of the conventional planar surface presser foot and of the grooved feeder foot tends to move the plies through the machine at a substantially equal rate. Such equal rates are undesirable when sewing goods which are not of the same length or configuration and which accordingly must be well-matched along all common edges.

In order to achieve the desired well-matching, the operator is required to maintain at all times a secure grip on all plies to be sewn and in addition to skillfully hinder the rate of feeding of those plies of shorter length or varying configuration in order to achieve the desired match with the longer plies. Such an effort requires a high degree of skill on the part of the operator, is quite tiresome, and accordingly leads to many rejects as the operators reflexes may not always be quick enough to follow and correct the rather fast action of the sewing machine. Moreover, in an effort to correct any mismatching which results during the sewing process, undesirable bunching of the fabric may occur as the operator seeks to hurriedly Work in the longer plies.

The above problem may sometimes become so acute that the goods to be sewn will be first basted in order to insure a proper match. Such an operation is costly in that the same seam must essentially be sewn twice.

It is an object of this invention to so modify a resiliently biased presser foot as to achieve a sewing of plies of unequal length or different configurations at their common edges in such a manner as to maintain the desired match without necessitating great care on the part of the operator.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new process of sewing which achieves a faster and more accurate feeding of non-coextensive plies of the materials to be sewn in such a manner as to maintain the desired matching at all points.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a resiliently biased presser foot which increases production and substantially lessens rejects without requiring any unusual skill on the part of the operator.

Yet another of the objects of this invention is to provide a resiliently biased presser foot which will advance the plies to be sewn in such a manner as to maintain a proper match, thereby, in the first instance, effecting a sewing action at the desired places and eliminating bunching.

Still another of the objects of this invention is to ice provide a process of sewing which will ease the strain encountered in pulling unevenly matched goods through the machine in order to achieve the desired matching.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a resiliently biased presser foot and needle assembly embodying the present invention, the presser foot being spaced from the feeding means;

FlG. 2 is a side elevational view of the presser foot which is an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the presser foot of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a sectional View taken on line 44 of FIG. 3 with a feeder foot in operative position and superimposed fabrics to be sewn disposed between said feeder foot and said presser foot;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 55 of PEG. 3 with the spring mechanism and connecting arm deleted;

PEG. 6 is a top plan view of the shoulder goods and the body goods prior to sewing and showing the length and configuration of the common edges to be matched and sewn;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the top and bottom goods in the initial stages of sewing and further showing in part a normally positioned presser foot and sewing needle;

FIG. 8 is a perspective View or" the top and bottom goods in a later stage of sewing, including in part a normally positioned presser foot and sewing needle, and further showing the positioning of an operators hands;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a finished jacket showing a sleeve and body member with a seam sewn in accordance with the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein similar reference numerals denote similar parts, reference numeral it generally designates the presser foot which, in part, forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Presser foot it consists of adapting means 12 including a groove 11 through which a bolt 15 may be inserted to effect attachment via a nut (not shown) to the motive arm 17 of a sewing machine. Presser foot it is a resiliently biased presser foot, provided with serrations on its operative surface as indicated in FIG. 4. The means through which the spring-like action is effected is also shown in PEG. 4.

Presser foot it? comprises foot member 119 which presents a generally planar undersurface 2% with grooves 22, 24, as and 28 positioned thereon. Groove 24 is wider but not deeper than the other grooves as will be explained infra. Foot member 19 comprises legs 25 and 27 which merge into body 23. Legs 25 and 27 form a slot Legs 25 and 27 each consist of straight serrated portions 31 and 33 which are integral with upwardly curved angulated extensions 35 and 37 at areas more removed from body 23. The undersurface of extensions 35 and 37 is not serrated.

Foot member 19 is pivotally connected to connecting arm 43 by a pin 40. Connecting arm 43 has a slot 61 which provides a bearing surface for and houses one end of spring 41. The other end of spring 41 is held against the upper surface of foot member 19 at 6.2. This arrangement urges connecting arm 43 in a clockwise direction. The clockwise movement of arm 43 is, however, restrained by the camming action of nose 6d of arm 43 against the upper surface of foot member 19.

Thus the normal relation of foot member 19 and connecting arm is as shown in FIG. 4. Recess area 42, however, permits foot member 19 to pivot about pin 46 in a clockwise direction to the extent of said recess area. When the force which urges foot member 19 is removed, foot member 19 returns to the normal position of FIG. 4. Such a pivoting action aids foot 19 in accommodating the goods to be sewn.

As seen in FIG. 1, presser foot cooperates with sewing needle 14 having eye 44 as the superimposed fabrics to be sewn are intermittently advanced by the generally planar but corrugated opera ive surface 26 of foot member 19. This advancement is effected by cooperation between foot member i and advancing means 16 with grooves as disposed in a conventional manner as shown in FIG. 1. The sequence of cooperation between presser foot feeding means to and needle 34 is such that needle 14 passes between legs 25 and 27 (in slot 29) to sew a stich, then feeding means 36 moves the plies a predetermined distance, and then the sequence repeats itself. I The modification of operative surface of foot member 19 is an important feature of the present invention. As shown in F185. 1-5, the otherwise generally planar operative surface 2% is modified to possess a plurality of serrations as shown at 2.2, 24, 26 and 28. The presence of a plurality of serrations on the undersurface of foot member it? would normally effect some shirring or bunching in the top goods (the ply or fabric layer in contact with operative surface of foot member 19). However, as shown in H6. 8, the operator applies sufficient hand tension to the top goods 5f to substantially remove the slack or draping therein. Thus the normal shirring or bunching action in the top goods occasioned by the serrated presser foot is avoided.

As shown in FIG. 8, the operator permits the bottom goods 51 to be fed to the sewing machine in a normal manner, the function of the other hand being as a guide. Thus, a certain desirable amount of shirring or bunching occasioned by the serrated feeder foot or feeding means occurs in the bottom goods.

Such desirable shirring is useful in sewing sleeves to the body of a garment at the sleeve line. The relation between a sleeve member and a body member prior to sewing is shown in FIG. 6. It is readily apparent that the sleeve member possesses an edge of different length and configuration from the body member. Yet, these two pieces must be well-matched sewn together at all points on the respective edge. Notch 7t) must match with notch 71. Notch 72 must match with end 73 of seam 74. End 75 and 77 must match with end 76 and 75 respectively. I

When properly sewn, the longer sleeve member is so worked in as to contribute the attractive fullness of the shoulder-sleeve seams which is desirable in most clothing as shown at seam 8% in FIG. 9. Such working in is achieved by shirring or bunching wherein the top goods 5f? constitute the body member and the bottom goods 51 constitute the shoulder member which, when subjected to a desirable degree of shirring, will be worked in.

It has been found that the use of a presser foot with a planar operative surface provides too much contact between the feeder foot and the bottom goods, thereby achieving an undesirable degree of shirring in the bottom goods (sleeve goods). On the other hand, it has been found that the use of a presser foot with uniform serrations over the entire operative surface either tends to effect undesirable shirring in the top goods which requires the operator to exert a great deal of tension thereon or does not effect sufficient Shirring in the bottom goods as there is an inadequate contact between the presser foot and the feeder foot (because both are serrated).

The foot member of the present invention includes a sufficient number of serrations to reduce shirring in the bottom goods to a desirable level. Nevertheless, the

4 foot member possesses suificient planar surface to minimize any tendency towards shirring in the top goods. The apparent nature of the action of foot member 19 is shown in FIG. 4.

The preferred disposition of the serrations is best shown in FIGS. 2-5. As shown, the four serrations do not cover the entire undersurface 29 of foot member 19 as it is not necessary that there be serrations placed on either angulated extensions 35 and 37 or on the major portion of the surface of body 23 of foot member 19. Although all serrations may be of equal width and depth, it has been found that the use of a wider but not necessarily deeper serration 24 reduces the number of necessary grooves, and yet enhances the new and unexpected presser foot action of the present invention.

Wider serration 24 is positioned across the undersurface of both of legs 25 and 27 of foot member 19 at a point which is closest to the merging of legs 25 and 27 into body 23. It is at this point between legs 25 and 27 in inlet area 29 that sewing needle 14 plunges downward when effecting a stitch. It has been found in the course of sewing goods as shown in FIG. 4 that the wider serration 24 not only cooperates with the other serrations to modify the shirring action of feeder foot 16, but the wider serration, because of its width and location, gives rise to a more uniform feeding of a bunched fabric at the critical area of the sewing of a stitch. Thus a more uniform as well as a faster flow of the bottom goods through the sewing machine is effected. Moreover, it has been found that the rate of flow of bottom goods 51 is such as to maintain a desirable match with top goods 50.

In addition, the presence of wider serration 24 permits fabric plies bunched therein to be more evenly distributed within the confines of said sci-ration. Hence, because serration 24 is closest to the action of sewing needle 14, it has been found that an effective stitch may be sewn in a somewhat bunched fabric. Such a stitch will tend to anchor itself so well that even when the stitch area is placed under hand tension (as is occasionally done by the operator to more uniformly distribute the bunching, thereby creating a pleasant effect), the stitch will not fall out. Moreover, the constant flow and accommodation of would-be bunching efiected by the present invention greatly minimizes bunching in the first instance, and thus the use of hand tension techniques (which are time consuming) is largely eliminated.

The serrations on the undersurface of foot member 1? are spaced approximately apart at their center lines except for wider serration 24 whose center line is spaced Ma from the center lines of the other serrations. As shown in FIG. 5 the serrations preferably resemble a corrugated pattern in that both the valleys and the peaks thereof are rounded.

The serrations may also vary in depth in proportion to the heaviness, thickness or nature of the goods being sewn. For example, coat goods are more satisfactorily sewn where the presser foot possess serrations deeper than those of a presser foot used in sewing blouse goods.

Any number of plies or stitches may be sewn by the method and device of the present invention. Any sewable material or combination of materials may be stitched by the method and device of the present invention.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. A presser foot for use in connection with sewing a shorter upper ply to a longer lower ply so as to be well matched, said foot including a resiliently biased foot member having an operative surface comprising a body and two leg areas extending therefrom, said operative surface having a plurality of transverse serrations formed on at least said leg areas in limited portions therein and extending across the substantial width of the foot, whereby the passage of said upper ply is retarded by frictional contact with said operative surface and whereby the passage of said lower ply is substantially unimpeded by said operative surface.

2. The invention of claim 1 having four serrations of equal Width.

3. A presser foot for use in connection with sewing a shorter upper ply to a longer lower ply so as to be well matched, said foot including a resiliently biased foot member having an operative surface comprising a body and two leg areas extending therefrom, said operative surface having a plurality of transverse serrations in limited portions therein and extending across the substantial width of the foot, the serration closest to the merging of said body and leg portions being wider than the other serrations, whereby the passage of said upper ply is retarded by frictional contact with said operative surface and whereby the passage of said lower ply is substantially unimpeded by said operative surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 30.112 Arnold Sept. 25, 1860 494,224 Philbrick Mar. 28, 1893 501,478 Jaros July 11, 1893 1,108,668 Barnes Aug. 25, 1914 1,147,960 Mathewson July 27, 1915 1,325,365 McCollum Dec. 16, 1919 1,581,307 Balizer Apr. 20, 1926 2,437,976 Seaman Mar. 16, 1948 2,761,401 Dolney Sept. 4, 1956 2,948,242 Shuman Aug. 9, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 612,122 France July 24, 1926 

